West Bengal's Anti-Goonda Act Gets Green Signal, Tougher Law To Target Goons
The state government has taken a major step towards strengthening law and order in West Bengal.
Kolkata: The state government has taken a major step towards strengthening law and order in West Bengal. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that two new laws, passed by the Legislative Assembly last month, will come into force across the state starting Monday.
Following an administrative review meeting in Berhampore, Murshidabad, he stated that—having received the Governor's assent—the 'West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026' and the 'West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Act, 2026' are now effective. The Chief Minister stated that the objective of these laws is to effectively curb incidents such as hooliganism, violence, and damage to public property within the state. The government will not compromise on law and order, and strict action will be ensured against offenders.
Under the new laws, individuals deemed to be involved in hooliganism or anti-social activities will be identified. Such accused persons can be detained for up to 12 months without a trial. In serious cases, the accused will not be permitted to engage a lawyer of their choice and will only be able to access assistance through the government's legal aid services.
Meanwhile, under the second law, recovery of damages will be sought from those who destroy public or private property. A special claims commission will be established for this purpose to assess the damage and determine the compensation amount.
Why new laws had to be introduced in Bengal?
CM Adhikari stated that the state government bears the responsibility of protecting public and private property during riots, violent protests, unlawful assemblies, and incidents that disrupt law and order; hence, the need for these laws was felt. The Chief Minister instructed police officials not to wait for directives from any political leader regarding law and order matters. He directed that if incidents similar to those in Samserganj, Beldanga, Rejinagar, or Shaktipur occur again, the police should take direct action in accordance with the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He stated that the police have been granted full autonomy to make immediate decisions based on their training and the law.
Strict stance on atrocities against women?
The Chief Minister also directed that all pending cases related to atrocities against women and minors be reopened. He instructed that cases where the guilty have not yet been punished should be reviewed, and necessary action taken to bring the accused to justice. He expressed confidence that incidents such as attacks on the police, the burning of government buses, or the uprooting of railway tracks would not recur. The Chief Minister also noted that the Murshidabad district administration has done commendable work in making land available to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border; out of 368 acres, 338 acres have already been handed over to the BSF.
